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Hairstyle

Jean-Louis David: a hairstyling visionary

The hairdresser from Grasse revolutionised hairstyling by inventing layered cuts and creating the concept of franchised salons. We take a look back over the extraordinary journey of Jean-Louis David, who passed away on 3rd April 2019 at the age of 85.

Coming from a long line of hairdressers, the young Jean-Louis David arrived in Paris in the 1950s. At the mere age of 21, barely 5 years after he came to the City of Lights, he became a manager of the extremely chic Gabriel Garland salons. Meeting international star Kim Novak paved the way for his successful career. After cutting Novak’s hair, he became renowned on an international scale. From then on, his career snowballed. In 1961, he opened his first salon on Wagram Avenue and a second salon 5 years later.

Destined for global domination

In 1970, Jean-Louis David revolutionised haircuts by inventing layered cuts. He quickly drew in customers with this innovative technique. Gone were the days of setting techniques; cut and blow-dries became all the rage for modern urban women. In the 1960s, trained by the greatest photographers such as Helmut Newton, Jean-Louis David started to create his own videos and photos for his salons, so his style was embedded into everything, right down to his advertising campaigns. The Jean Louis David brand developed at a phenomenal speed and his salons began to open all over the world: Switzerland, Italy and the USA. The concept of franchised salons was born.

In 2002, the group was bought by the Regis Corporation. Six years later, the Jean Louis David brand joined the Provalliance group headed by Franck Provost. Following the announcement of Jean Louis David’s passing, Provost commented “He was an avant-garde visionary, an extraordinary inventor and businessman who made his mark on the hairdressing world”. A real pioneer, Jean-Louis David made his brand the number one hairdressing network in Europe and the second largest brand on a global scale, with no less than 1,000 salons in 24 countries.

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